TROY, N.Y. — Jim Pankovits, the manager of the Astros' short-season Class A affiliate, was reading an article about Cliff Lee's incredible-going-on-historic walk rate when he realized he had someone in the same class on his Tri-City team.

Carlos Quevedo, the ace of the staff, is 6-3 with a 3.29 ERA, having struck out 51 and walked just seven in 791⁄3 innings of work.

"I feel bad when I walk hitters, because I have good command," Quevedo said.

Of his seven walks, four have come in his last three starts, including two on Saturday.

Before that, his strikeout:walk ratio was 35:3, putting his walk rate ahead of Lee's at the time.

But here's where it gets scary in Pankovits' mind.

"He's pitched better than his numbers, believe it or not," Pankovits said. "He's an unbelievable competitor, a very smart, heady kid that knows how to pitch, recognizes swings, makes adjustments very quickly and astutely. He's got a bright future."

Quevedo is a four-year veteran of the Astros system despite being just 20 years old. He spent 2007 and 2008 dominating the Venezuelan Summer League at age 17 and 18, respectively, and saw his ERA balloon in his stateside debut.

Though his ERA for rookie-level Greeneville last year was 5.60, he still walked just nine and struck out 55 in 542⁄3 innings. He has essentially duplicated that this season, using a low-90s fastball and a complete repertoire of slider, curveball, changeup around it.

"I've got him as a big league prospect and one of the best in this league," Pankovits said.

No-hit drama

High Class A Lancaster's combined no-hitter on Wednesday was unusual not just for the fact it went 10 innings or that five pitchers shared the honor.

There was also the fact the JetHawks could have lost.

They surrendered a run on a walk and two errors in the eighth, and Lake Elsinore (Padres) had no outs in the inning and two on. David Carpenter came on in relief and got a strikeout and a double play to end it.

It was the first no-hitter in the 15-year history of the JetHawks in any of their affiliations.

Injury updates

Austin Wates, drafted in this year's third round, returned to Tri-City's starting lineup for the first time since he was hit in the right hand by a pitch on Wednesday.

Wates doubled in his first at-bat - giving him six hits in his first 12 at-bats with the ValleyCats.

All-Star honors

Pitchers Jordan Lyles and Douglas Arguello were named Class AA Texas League postseason All-Stars on Monday.

Lyles, the Astros' top prospect, went 7-9 with a 3.12 ERA for Corpus Christi before his promotion to Class AAA Round Rock. Arguello, currently on the disabled list with an elbow injury, went 7-5 with a 2.55 ERA.